New tax rate, bills due Dec. 5

Sunday

Nov 11, 2012 at 3:15 AM

By Lorraine Morong

Property tax bills should have been received and Dec. 5 is the final day to pay in order to avoid a penalty.

The tax rate is $24.52 per $1000 valuation. This rate is 34 cents higher than last year. The town portion is up 22 cents; the county’s, up 27 cents; the local school tax, down 5 cents; the state school tax, down 10 cents.

When the selectmen met on Nov. 2 Arthur Anderson , a long-time member of the Madbury Volunteer Fire Department, came in to share some preliminary thought the MVFD is having relative to ways of recognizing members of the department for their years of support.

The selectmen suggested establishing firm criteria within which to judge appropriate candidates for recognition, as well the need to determine appropriate formats.

Police Chief Joe McGann also showed up, having been asked to present his proposal for a new cruiser in 2013, but the discussion was extended to Nov. 5 because Selectman Jay Moriarty was called away to the Nute Road bridge project. And on Nov. 5 the selectmen again tabled this discussion until after the busy election day activities were past.

Chuck Sullivan was in on Nov. 5, when he pointed out to the selectmen that power outages in town seem always to be in the same areas and wondered if anything can be done about it. They said they would talk to PSNH.

Barbara Maurer, who has served with the Water Resources Board for some time, came in to offer to be the town’s representative to the Southeast Water Alliance, for which Chairman Joan Sundberg heartily thanked her.

Moriarty reported that the work on the Nute Road bridge should be done before Thanksgiving.

The selectmen expressed their gratification for the way the Police and Fire departments and A.J.Hartford had responded during the “Sandy” storm

GREAT BAY

Speaking on Nov. 1 at the Town Hall, the Waterkeeper for Great Bay and the Piscataqua River made it clear that pollution in the Great Bay estuary is pushing the limit.

Waterkeeper for the Conservation Law Foundation Peter Wellenberger stressed that the danger is hidden by the bay’s beautiful scenic surface. “They can’t see it so they don’t realize, for instance, that 70 per cent of the eelgrass has been lost”...and eelgrass is only one of 18 plants in danger.

Because striped bass are not finding food in the estuaary, fishermen - and there are 63,000 coastal resident licenses out there - are having to search for the bass. The oyster beds which abounded have been destroyed (there is a move on to try to restore them). “If the estuary crashes, it will cost more to restore it”, Wellenberger warned, than to remediate it now.

He cited the crash in Chesapeake Bay which has caused economic challenges. His slides showed that costs for other utilities (gas, cell phone, electricity, cable, land phones, and internet) all cost much more than the average household is paying for sewer and water.

University of New Hampshire plant biologist Arthur Mathieson reported that the concern is not limited to eelgrass. “I’d like to see monitoring of the bay, systematic monitoring of nutrients and biological parameters. Other plants are important, too, they are indicators of stress...there needs to be a non-political entity to do the work...the science is really exceptional.”

Wellenberger reported that since only 30 percent of the pollutants are from wastewater plants, the other 70 per cent need to be pinpointed. He said that the Great Bay Stewards will be going door-to-door contacting homeowners along the waterways, urging them to take steps to reduce potential non-point pollution sources and that some grant money will be available to support these efforts. He noted that proper planning by developers is very effective in reducing unwanted run-off; for instance, one of the six golf courses in the seacoast contributes no run-off because of best practices.

Eric Fiegenbaum who is coordinating this series of presentations on nitrogen issues sponsored by the Oyster River Local Advisory Committee and the Oyster River Watershed Association announced that a fourth presentation will take place on Nov. 29. Durham’s Town Engineer, David Cedarholm, will report on the approach the Town of Durham and UNH have been discussing with the EPA to address the pollution concerns as they relate to Durham.

On Nov. 15, as part of this series, Environmental Consultant Dean Peschel, spokesman for the Great Bay Municipal Coalition, will be outlining the position taken by this group which is made up of Exeter, Newmarket, Rochester, Portsmouth, and Dover. They have filed intent to sue the EPA, which is requiring a reduction to 3 milligrams per liter of nitrogen being discharged into the bay.

These presentations are held at the Madbury Town Hall from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

THIS WEEK

On Nov. 13, the Madbury Historical Society will present its own version of Antiques Roadshow, when appraiser/auctioneer Devin Moisan will be on hand to evaluate “What’s In Your Attic?”

Everyone is invited to bring “whatevers” and find out their value (if any).

This meeting will be held at the Town Hall beginning at 7 p.m. A social hour will follow.

On Nov. 15 the Madbury Community Club will meet at Joan Sundberg’s home on Nute Road, at 7 p.m. Members of the Madbury Police and Fire Departments will be on hand to discuss home and fire safety issues.

On Nov. 17 the Madbury Church will have a Ham and Bean supper at the Town Hall with serving from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Besides ham from Calef’’s, they always serve a variety of beans, a bountiful salad bar, jellied and potato salads, several kinds of breads, homemade pies and beverages.

The cost is $8 per adult; $4, child; $20 for a family.

On Nov. 17 the Transfer Station will be open from 9 to 4. Then it will be closed until spring.

COMING

Children’s author Tomie DePaolo’s award-winning book “The Night of Las Posadas” has been adapted into a one-act musical theatre piece that will be performed at the Madbury Church on December 1.

Composer and lyricist William Ogmundson and librettist Tom Dunn (both New Hampshire residents) did the adaptation, and the musical will be performed by four professional singers as well as members of the Madbury Church Choir and the audience.

Las Posadas (Spanish for “the inn”) is a traditional Spanish festival which is popular in Mexico as well as in the American Southwest. The festival re-enacts Joseph’s search for a room in an inn.

dePaolo has written and/or illustrated nearly 350 books, including “Strega Nona”, “26 Fairmount Avenue” and “The Art Lesson”. Among other things, Dunn is the Artistic Director of The Alchemists’ Workshop, a 14-year-old theatre organization dedicated to building communities through the development of original works of musical theatre. He has also written some 50 produced plays and librettos, and has published 4 books.

Ogmundson is a classically-trained pianist and a composer. Among others, he has written the music for the past six productions of the Northeast Shakespeare Ensemble, and his work with Trish Lindberg, “TIGERS”, a show about bullying, was broadcast on NHPTV this fall.

There will be two performances, at 4 and 7 p.m. at the Madbury Church. Seating capacity is limited to 70 and by general admission. This musical is recommended for ages 4 thru adult.

Tickets are $5 each, obtained by mailing a check and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Union Congregational Church, 18 Town Hall road, Madbury, 03823. Check should be made out to the UCC.